Is Penang, Malaysia’s most accessible destination?
Will Penang Island with it’s title, the Pearl of the Orient, be friendly in terms of accessibility. Lets find out.
This vibrant Malaysian state is renowned as the country’s food capital, offering a rich blend of UNESCO listed heritage, diverse cultures, lush rainforest and stunning coastal scenery.
You have a number of options in travelling to Penang, fly in or drive crossing one of the two bridges (the longest being 24km) or like us train to Butterworth then a short 20 minute ferry ride to Georgetown, the capital of Penang. The train and ferry were well suited for my Travel Scoot as the train has disabled seating areas and the ferry was all ramped and the Terminals had lifts and direct access for wheelchairs. Purchase your train tickets early to make sure of getting the seating you require, very easy to do online. Follow our YouTube video on this to take all the apprehension out of this part of your journey. Just hit the button below.
There are numerous areas to stay and we chose the district of Tanjung Bungah, managing to find the Rainbow Paradise Hotel as our accommodation. This place is a bit worn looking but has the vibe of being stuck in the 80’s, which adds to the charm of the place. All the rooms have large balconies and our view was stunning, watching the sunrise and seeing Sea Eagles cruising by was the ideal way to start most days. The Hotel was fully accessible and easy to navigate, no steps in the rooms either. There was a ramp down to the sand but that was as good as it gets. The bar area was stepped which is unfortunate, but with help could be navigated. The pool is great but no large steps in and awkward access in terms of recessed notched steps built into the sides of the pool with the usual metal hand rail to pull yourself out.
The location is great with numerous restaurants, the Astaka Hillside hawker market, Tanjung Bungah market and food court (great for breakfasts) and a new cafe complex within walking distance. Also every Tuesday evening the Tanjung market turns into a street food market. All of these options are fully accessible and have disabled toilets as well. The local restaurants vary in accessibility and bathroom facilities, so do some research before committing to these. All the large malls have excellent facilities for those using wheelchairs. Some of the best disabled toilets I’ve ever seen. New Zealand could learn a lot from the Malaysians.
The first place most people experience is Georgetown with that interesting mix of old and new with construction sites indicating that more development is just around the corner. In the Old Town a multicultural mix offers historic shophouses, temples and modern bustling city life.
Simply wander the streets of the Old Town discovering street art, boutiques and cafe culture. Armenian street is the most touristy in the area, with its art, souvenir shops and cafes. There are photo opportunities everywhere involving the famous Street Art, these are scattered all over Georgetown and it pays to wander the streets off the main tourist spots to find some of these hidden gems. This is a town where effort has been put into making footpaths accessible with ramps common in the most frequented areas. As you wander the multitude of lanes looking for the street art, the road is generally what you are travelling on, but these areas are quiet when it comes to traffic. The main roads are hectic, and when crossing these be aware as the driving is somewhat erratic. Like most places get there early to avoid the busy parts of the day.
One of the most progressive initiatives in Malysia is that the disabled get free access to most ticketed sights, so show your Disability Card from home at ticket offices, as this for us has been accepted at all sights we have been to.
Make a point of visiting Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi, a Chinese clanhouse and Museum. The main building and prayer hall are beautiful, liberally decorated with gold, painted lanterns and an ornate roof. This might just be Georgetown’s most stunning architecture. This building is up a set of stairs, but the museum below is fully accessible and is well worth visiting. Also the Goddess of Mercy Temple is small but stunning and as you enter the smell of sandalwood incense gives it a sense of calm and serenity as devotees wander in and out. This is just nice to sit outside and admire the stunning temple architecture.
Little India in Georgetown is a vibrant, bustling ethnic enclave. It is a cultural, shopping and dining hub filled with Tamil music, colourful sari’s, spices, jewelry and sweet treats to sample as you walk this busy neighbourhood. Footpaths are generally uneven and cluttered so the road is how you navigate, and the majority of shops all have a step up into them.
Head towards the waterfront from the Old Town and the famous Clan Jetties appear. These traditional stilt houses built by Chinese immigrants in the 19th Century offer a glimpse into a living, fishing community. There are six of these villages on water, and in each village lives one clan with there own temples. The Chew Jetty is the most popular, but it lacks authenticity due to the number of souvenir shops and ice cream sellers. It also attracts the most visitors , so getting those perfect photos can be challenging at times. Make time to visit the other Clan Jetties for a more authentic feel, go early to witness daily life. Busy and narrow at times, but all on one level and easy to navigate so well worth the visit.
After wandering around Georgetown we found China House, which from the outside is very unassuming but inside it is one of the trendiest spots in Penang. Set inside three heritage listed buildings it’s hard to know what it is. It has three restaurants, an art gallery, retail spaces for pop up shops, a cocktail lounge, a performing arts space for bands and the like, a mini library, a pool and most famous of all, Cakes all in a space 400ft long and only 25ft wide. Obviously the upstairs is unaccessible which houses the gallerys, but there is so much to see on the ground floor. The cakes are incredible and they sell 7000 a month, so take your pick from over 30 different varieties and indulge yourself. While dining, to inspire your own artistic side you are encouraged to create your own art for the walls of the cafe. China House is an institution in Penang and you will be tempted to visit more than once. There is a ramp up to this and the downstairs is fully accessible but the bathroom is not unfortunately.
By spending time talking to a local Cafe Owner we were put onto two amazing locals hangouts. The first was Jetty 35 abandoned warehouses converted into a cultural hipster hotspot. It offers a nostalgic, industrial retro space for art and culture, with the Michelin rated eatery Rasa Rasa. The entrance is next to the art installation, girl and boy on a swing or across the road from the Lim Clan Jetty. The corridor space itself is all on one level with stalls lining the walls, but getting into the shops that branch off it requires a step up into them.
The second was the very cool Hin Bus Depot. This is an abandoned 1947 Art Deco Bus repair station transformed into a creative hub where art, culture and weekend life blend perfectly. The fusion of old and new gives the market its unique soul and every weekend local artisans display their crafts, exceptional food and drinks are on offer and musicians take centre stage. This is one of those local treasures you discover when straying from the tourist trail and are in no rush to be anywhere, so spend an afternoon with the locals, you will not be disappointed. Large crowds can make this challenging but all of it is accessible and people are very accommodating as no one here is in a rush. The bathrooms are not accessible.
For nature lovers head to Penang Hill. Enjoy the Funicular Railway ride ($8 USD) up to the summit for panoramic views of the island. This was fully accessible but be careful of the gap when entering the train The helpful staff will assist you on entry and exit. Bonus of being priority boarding so no long waits in queues. Once up there it is fully accessible thru the rainforest even the canopy tree walk and there is a spacious sealed walkway. There is an abundance of wildlife so keep yours eyes peeled for Langur monkeys, giant squirrels which we were able to spot and an array of insects. Unfortunately the monkeys were absent on our walk, but then the next morning on the way back from our local market we took a shortcut and were delighted to see a troop of them in the residential neighbourhood hanging out in the trees. Up the hill there are also cafes, an Indian Temple and Mosque. Go early to avoid crowds and the heat of the day. This day out is well worth it at $15USD per person, even if you miss out on the wildlife the views and stunning scenery are not to missed. This is not a checklist attraction but a place to wander, pause and absorb.
Also head out to Entopia and immerse yourself in The Natureland living outdoor gardens, wander into artificial caves filled with insects and amphibians, thru waterfalls to see reptiles, Japanese Koi, Snapping turtles and then the experience of being amongst up to 15,000 free flying butterflies. Take time to visit the quirky educational area or refresh at the onsite cafe. Fully accessible, including bathrooms and this is a remarkable place to lose yourself for a few hours.
Unfortunately I did have some problems with Security guards in Malysia, once at the Train Station at Ipoh when leaving for Penang over the travel scooter. You will find that they are quite officious and had no real understanding of the purpose of the Travel Scooter, demanding that it could not cross the platform to the train as it was a scooter. Even explaining that we had arrived by train and crossed that exact platform 4 weeks earlier was not accepted. We had to pack it up and then I was put in a broken wheelchair to cross to the train. This incident left me so apprehensive about the return journey, but fortunately we had the most polite and respectful attendant who said it was okay to use and proceeded to onboard us first. So please make sure you approach someone well before boarding and explain your situation. The other arose when I visited the Penang Botanical Gardens and once again a security guard said no scooters allowed as there are monkeys around. This guy got abusive when my husband pointed out that staff were riding in and out on 50cc Motor Scooters, but we had a silent Scooter. After heading to the main office to resolve this, Security there were indifferent as well so my husband said we would turn it off and be pushed around the Gardens and they agreed to this. Once in the Gardens, turned it on and had no issues interacting with monkeys at all. Once again, no common sense used in regard to a mobility device and had the potential to turn a lovely day out into a huge disappointment.
Do your own research especially of accommodations. You can ask as many questions as you need, to have peace of mind that you are booking a place to stay that meets your needs. Georgetown is a modern city but there is a good mix of cultures and older heritage areas to keep it it interesting. A short Grab Ride away Tanjung Bungah is the suburb we prefer as it is quiet with a great beachie vibe. Take time to research, assess your own tolerance for traffic as some of your time will be spent on the road rather than the pavement and if this is something you can work with I’m sure you will find many things to enjoy about wonderful Penang!